Chapter 2

　　Behind her, her family begged for mercy and cried for help. 　　Her parents were old. A few days ago, her father had told her that he was looking forward to his retirement. In another year, their family would have been able to return home. 　　Her younger brother was just seven years old. He was most certainly innocent of all this. 　　Elizabeth finally bent down and knocked heavily on the cold ground. 　　"Please, Duke, please spare my family." 　　Arthur Mu dropped his eyes slightly and looked at her in front of him. His tall body stood still. "Haven’t you eaten? Why can't I hear you kowtow? " 　　Elizabeth increased her pace and let her forehead touch the ground as she kowtowed. "I beg the Duke to spare my family." 　　"Do it again!" 　　"I beg the Duke to spare my family!" 　　"Again!" 　　Elizabeth knew that Arthur Mu just wanted to torture her. Behind her, everyone else was begging for mercy. She suddenly clenched her teeth and used all her strength. She bowed even further, touching Arthur Mu's toes with her forehead. 　　He kicked her head. The sharp tip of the boot wounded her scalp. Blood flowed down, across the cheek, soaked red skirt. 　　Elizabeth fell to the ground and looked at him with pleading eyes. Her tone was humble. "If the Duke only wants to torture me, why involve my family? Do what you will with me, but please spare my family!" 　　Arthur Mu's cold eyes stayed on Elizabeth for a long time. Suddenly, with a smile, he signaled to the officers and soldiers behind him. 　　In an instant, the pleading turned into screaming. 　　It went on and on. The swords pierced and sliced, slaughtering every last member of her family. The blood flowed across the yard, and the green bricks turned red. 　　"Noooooooo!" 　　Elizabeth struggled to get up, but she slipped on the blood. She got up several times and finally fell into the pool of blood. 　　"No, no, please, please..." 　　Elizabeth, who had nowhere to go, lay on the ground and once again kowtowed to the pair of boots in front of her. Her eyes were full of despair. 　　Arthur Mu pulled Elizabeth up, and his thin lips came close to her ear. "I won't let you die. Elizabeth, the reason why I married you was to torture you for the rest of your life!" 　　With that, he twisted her body and forced her to watch as her relatives fell one by one. The bloodbath was far from over, and those that remained were wailing. Her father suddenly knelt down on the ground before the officers could execute him. In his eyes, there was deep regret, and sorrow. 　　"Xirou, my daughter, this is my fault. I'm sorry." 　　As soon as he finished speaking, the blade fell on him. 　　“Father!” 　　At last, the yard was quiet. Again, Arthur whispered in Elizabeth's ear. "If you feel like committing suicide, I’ve decided to spare someone." As he spoke, his dark eyes glanced at Camille Ah who was slumped by the entrance of the courtyard. 　　Elizabeth fell on the cold ground and let the smelly blood soak her. 　　“Aaaaaaaaah!” She screamed bitterly and couldn't tell whether she was crying or laughing. 　　She knew that he resented her for what happened in the past, but she didn't realize the extent of his hatred. Even death was a luxury he kept from her. 　　"Father..." 　　Footsteps approached her, and then a scornful voice rang out. "Hurry up. You’re being summoned to the plum garden." The soldier quickly turned and left. Elizabeth slowly raised her head and looked at her maidservant, Camille. 　　The most favored Duchess lived in the plum garden of the Duke's mansion. Vaguely, Elizabeth wondered which one of them had summoned her. Was it Arthur Mu, the Duke? Or was it his wife, the Duchess?